BACOLOD CITY - The price increase in the Wholesale Electricity Spot Market (WESM) has led to higher residential power rates for July in Bacolod City and other localities in central and southern Negros Occidental. Separate reports on Tuesday showed the Central Negros Electric Cooperative (Ceneco) here recorded an increase of PHP0.5825 per kilowatt hour (kWh), while Negros Occidental Electric Cooperative (Noceco) reported an upward adjustment of PHP1.3119 per kWh. 'The rate hike is mainly attributed to the increase in total generation charge due the rise in the WESM price,' the Ceneco management said in a statement. From PHP12.7632 per kWh in June, this month's rate is PHP13.3457 per kWh for consumers in the cities of Bacolod, Bago, Talisay and Silay, as well as the municipalities of Murcia and Don Salvador Benedicto. According to Ceneco, generation charge rose by 6.67 percent, mainly due to the PHP1.6253 per kWh increase in the WESM price. Down south, from Pulupandan to Hinoba-an, the residential rate fo r Noceco consumers went up to PHP16.1134 per kWh in July, from only PHP14.8015 in June. 'The main factor for the higher cost is the PHP3.8118 increase in the price of energy in the WESM, from PHP11.2147 in June to PHP15.0266 per kWh in July,' the Noceco management said in its advisory. Source: Philippines News Agency